Sunday, March 24, 2013

Love's Desperate Embrace by Rafael Cruz




Here's a lovely poetic offering by one of my most talented students, Rafael Cruz. Though the current photo isn't drawn by him, he is also an accomplished artist. The more I read this poem, the more it sticks to my heart. Do enjoy Rafael's Love's Desperate Embrace.



Love’s Desperate Embrace
By Rafael Cruz

Sun Girl
Didn’t let the darkness encase her
Light was her heart
Gentle beams cascaded on golden hair
Trickling down as she giggled
She exhaled daylight

Moon Boy
Sat ignored by stars
He searched for Sun Girl relentlessly
Sometimes he’d find her
Surrendering to love
Blinded by her fiery eyes

His passion reawakened by power
Yet fate kept them apart
Two worlds coexisting
In a wonderland of inevitable separation
Dreaming of her warm embrace
Hoping for a miracle

When she danced in daylight
He sulked through moon rays
Oh, how forbidden the fruits of day and night
For light and darkness were never meant to mix
They’re damned to stay apart
And may only rendezvous at dawn
When traces of desperation fade away




© Copyright Rafael Cruz 2013. All rights reserved.
Rafael Cruz has granted Knight Chills non-exclusive rights to display this work.

© Copyright Nomar Knight 2013. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Guest Blogger Poetry Presentation.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

From the Mind of a Madman (Ch.2)




The link to chapter one is here.

This is a supernatural suspense miniseries. Enjoy Chapter Two.


From the Mind of a Madman

By Nomar Knight


Chapter Two

Blinded by an annoying strobe light, I couldn’t help but think that soon the pavement would be my grave. As I stood on the ledge of my apartment building, my knees threatened to buckle from under me. Not since Mrs. Lawton’s fifth grade Math class did I tremble with overwhelming fear.
“Come, Cesar, I challenge you to a long multiplication problem. The first one of us that completes the problem wins.”
I recalled wishing I could sink into a hole and disappear.
The crowd’s thirst for blood shook me out of my trance.
“Jump! Jump!”
“Don’t listen to them.”
A female’s voice drew my attention behind me to my right.
“Help me.”
I didn’t recognize the sound of my voice. It sounded like a frog caught in my throat.
The female wore a gray blazer and a green blouse. Her shiny detective’s shield was pinched on her belt.
“Professor Perez, please look at me.”
Since I wore only my pajamas, the night’s cool air felt as if I was trapped inside an igloo. I couldn’t stop shaking.
“I’m Detective Patricia Duncan. The neighbors told me you’re a great guy.”
For the first time I focused my vision on her face. She had her left hand over her eyes, making it difficult for me to see them.
I muttered. “This darn light is blinding.”
“Tell me, Professor, why are we out here?”
“I don’t know how I got here. I must have fallen asleep, next thing I know, I’m a step away from…”
The detective sighed as though relieved, “Great, then we can go back to your apartment now. Give me your hand.”
“I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
“You’re not the first person to sleepwalk.” Compassion filled her soothing tone.
I was tempted to tell her about the morbid visions that filled my waking hours since I had lost my Nicole. How I was losing my grip on reality, when another voice to my left swayed my attention.
“Don’t be a chicken!”
Shock nearly stopped me from breathing. My fifth grade teacher sat next to me with her legs dangling over the ledge.
“But you’re dead.”
Detective Duncan sighed again, only it sounded more like frustration. “Reach out your hand and you will be safe.”
Mrs. Lawton laughed. “I remembered the look on your face when I challenged you in front of the other students. I thought you were going to pee in your pants.”
Turning my head to the detective, I whispered, “Can you see her?”
“See who?”
My heart sank. I knew the cop wouldn’t believe me.
Mrs. Lawton said, “What are you waiting for? Don’t you like playing up to the crowd? They want you to jump.”
“You’re not real! This whole situation isn’t real.”
The detective spoke softly, “I’m most certainly real and I’m here to help you, Professor. What’s your first name?”
Mrs. Lawton got up and offered her hand. Her gray hair fell down to her shoulders. “We can jump together. Remember how you actually beat me. I did the math problem faster than you, but you actually won.”
I grinned, recalling how obese she used to be…how she towered over me. “Yes, I defeated you, the great Mrs. Lawton.”
She giggled. “Cesar, you were slow, but accurate. Perhaps slow and steady does win the race. Let me help you. Jump off with me.”
I gripped her hand and stared at my bloodthirsty audience. Most of the scoundrels below remained still. People in blue uniforms scurried about. Firefighters raced in unison like killer army ants determine to achieve a common goal.
“This isn’t real, but the pain feels so real. I can’t take it anymore. I can’t live without my Nicole.”
“Nicole? Please tell me about her.” Detective Duncan sounded desperate and louder.
“Jump with me Cesar and I promise you’ll be with Nicole again.”
Tears blurred my vision.
“Professor Perez, tell me how I can reach Nicole. Is she your girlfriend?”
“She was my fiancĂ©.”
“For Christ sake!” Mrs. Lawton raised her voice, making me feel like a ten-year-old again. “Just take a step forward and you will be with her forever.”
“Professor, call me Patty,” said the detective. “I’d love to talk about this with you in the apartment, over a cup of coffee.”
I shifted my glance from the crowd below back to the cop. I caught a glimpse of her eyes. Suffering leaked out of amazing blue pupils.
“Do you know what it’s like, Patty, to lose the love of your life?”
“I’ll answer that question if you tell me your first name.”
“I’m Cesar.”
She reached out as though to shake my hand.
Mrs. Lawton screamed, “Jump now, you little weasel!”
Patty Duncan took a step toward me. “I know someone else is talking to you right now. I can’t see her, but by the way you’re extending your left hand, I figure you’re holding her hand. Is it Nicole?”
Tears cascaded down my cheeks. I whispered, “No.”
“Is it Mrs. Lawton?”
An intense pain shot from my left hand up to my elbow. When I focused my attention on the old hag, a stench of rotted meat made me gag. Mrs. Lawton’s skeletal hand applied a crunching grip. A scream trapped in my throat.
“Let’s go, Cesar!”
The zombie teacher’s tongue fell off the ledge. She jumped and took me with her.


...Stay tuned for Chapter Three



©2013 Nomar Knight. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Miniseries.

Friday, March 1, 2013

From the Mind of a Madman




       It's time for a little experiment. This is the first chapter of a miniseries. It is slightly tweaked, but unedited. It's been awhile since my Knight Chills readers were treated to a miniseries. This is a suspense thriller with a supernatural twist as it evolves from the creative stage. Mind you, I'm flying without a net. No outline exists. The characters will drive the storyline and hopefully, some encouraging words from you, my favorite readers, may keep the action going.  

I hope you enjoy Chapter One From the Mind of a Madman  




From the Mind of a Madman

By Nomar Knight

Chapter 1


As I maneuvered through a crowded street, a sense of impending doom exploded from deep within my gut. The dying sun’s glare added to my ever-increasing headache. A dry mouth reminded me that I had not consumed any liquids in hours. Blaring horns and a baby’s piercing screams forced me to shorten my attempt at exercise and enter a nearby coffee shop.
While making my way toward the counter, images of severed heads filled the display cases.
“What can I get for you, sir?”
I shut my eyes, praying for the pain in my head to vanish, hoping that when I acknowledged my present situation, the macabre display would be gone. As luck would have it, what I had seen as human heads was actually a variety of beautiful cakes.
“Sir, are you alright?”
The soothing, feminine voice did not match its producer. Standing with concerned, pale, blue eyes was a mammoth of a young man. He wore a baseball cap and forced a smile, giving him a classic look of constipation. I tried to speak, but found that words remained trapped in my mind. Not a sound shot forth. Clearing my throat, I uttered, “Black coffee, please.”
He pointed at the baked goods. “Would you like a piece of cake with your coffee?”
I froze when one by one the cakes began to split open only to reveal screaming heads.
“Sir, are you okay?”
I cupped my ears, shook my head and rushed into a booth, muttering, “This can’t be happening.”
The sound of heels clacking on the tiled floor drew my attention to the main entrance. A young, blond female, with eyes of coal, strolled toward the horrid display case.
“Hi, Mack, I’ll take a tea with lemon, please.”
The big guy’s fake smile softened into a genuine greeting.
“Hello, Mary Lou.”
I tried to look away, but something about her curly hair caught my eye. A soft hissing sound made my heart beat faster.
Mary Lou asked, “So how’s your accounting class coming along?”
My eyes remained focused at the back of Mary Lou’s head. The hissing sound grew louder. I could have sworn globs of hair strands threatened to move independently as if taking on the appearance of snakes.
Leaning forward, I rested one elbow on the table, shut my eyes and squeezed the bridge of my nose with two fingers.
Mary Lou whispered, “What’s wrong with him?”
I pretended not to hear them chatter about me. In truth, I was concerned that if my gaze met hers, she’d turn me to stone.
“Excuse me, sir. Here’s your coffee.”
I glanced upward and spotted a thin, delicate hand gripping a steaming cup of black coffee and a cup of tea with the other. I didn’t even bother to hide my astonishment as she flashed pearly whites.
“Say, aren’t you Professor Perez?”
I grabbed the cup, careful not to meet her gaze, and sipped the coffee.
She continued yapping, “You’re the Literature Professor. I’m thinking about changing majors.”
Her loud tone made it impossible to tune her out. I gulped down more of the beverage, savoring its therapeutic aroma.
“I’ve heard your classes are interesting.”
I scanned the table, searching for something that would turn the chatterbox off. Lucky for her, the only thing on my table was a spoon and an empty napkin holder.
“A friend of mine takes your class.”
I met her gaze and couldn’t stop my hands from shaking. Rivulets of coffee spilled over the rim of the cup until some of the drops landed on the rectangular table.
“Are you alright, Professor?”
When I lowered my gaze to the table and back up to her furrowed eyebrows, I envisioned sticking the spoon through her left eye.
At last I spoke, “I’m sorry. This damn migraine makes me irritable.”
Without uttering another word, I slid out of the booth, dropped a five dollar bill near the cup and left amidst a chorus of screams and profanity. It wasn’t until I pulled my apartment keys out of my pocket that I noticed the blood.
I whispered, “Did I really stab that girl’s eye out or did I imagine it?”
My apartment was a stone’s throw away from the coffee shop. I rushed into my modest abode, locked the door behind me and listened, waiting for the sirens of an ambulance or a police car. I must have paused for quite some time because when I had left the coffee shop, I recalled daylight’s stubborn refusal to die. One glance at the open window revealed street lights against a black sky.
I turned the lights on and inspected my hands. Dried blood covered my fingers.
“What have I done?”
I heard the toilet flush. I moved to the closed bathroom door and knocked.
“Darling, can you come out? I think I’ve done something dreadful.”
Silence…a choking silence crept up my throat. I stepped back expecting the door knob to rotate, but nothing happened.
“What’s wrong now?”
Nicole’s soothing voice startled me as it came from behind.
I wanted to hug her, but felt compelled to show restraint. “I hate it when you do that.”
Her lips curled into a sly smile. Piercing chocolate eyes sent shivers down my spine. I worshipped her and she knew it.
“God, I love how shiny your hair is.”
She blushed, glanced down at my hands then shook her head. “Is that blood on your fingers?”
A loud pounding on the door made me jump.
“Professor, may I have a word with you?”
I mumbled, “That nosy landlord is always interrupting us.”
Nicole rolled her eyes.
I opened the door to see Mr. Butterfield sporting a look of concern. “Do you have a visitor, Professor?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s just my fiancĂ© and I here. Why?”
“I came to remind you that the rent is due today. I’m sorry for the intrusion.”
The door remained wide open while I fetched my checkbook from my desk. I noticed the nosy geezer scanning my apartment.
“Are you alright, Professor?”
The constant inquiries to my health started to annoy me.
“I wish people would stop asking me that. I’m fine.”
I handed him the check, unable to hide my rising anger.
He took the payment and a look of concern spread across his face.
“Did you cut yourself, sir?”
I bit my lip and frowned. “Goodnight Mr. Butterfield.”
He turned to leave then paused. “Professor, don’t you remember what happened last week?”
“Please leave Mr. Butterfield.”
He sighed and left with a solemn expression on his face.
I shut the door and spotted Nicole sitting on the sofa.
She said softly. “Let me go.”
“Why would you want to leave my side, darling?”
She placed elbows over her knees until her head rested on her hands.
“Because I don’t belong here.”
“Nonsense! You’re the love of my life.”
Somehow, she was no longer on the sofa. In a split second, her nose almost touched mine. Her eyes swirled in never ending circles, lulling me into a meditative stupor. Sirens hollered as if far off in the distance.
“Wake up, darling.”
Nicole’s voice startled me. A cool breeze slapped my face. When I regained my focus, I realized that I was standing on the ledge of the rooftop. Fire trucks, police vehicles and a crowd gathered below.
A bloodthirsty chorus shouted, “Jump! Jump!”
“Nicole, what’s happening?”
Then I remembered, a week ago my fiancé had jumped off the very ledge I stood on.




...Stay tuned for Chapter Two




©2013 Nomar Knight. All rights reserved.
A Knight Chills Miniseries.